The 28-year-old teacher from Charleston, S.C., and the 19-year-old student from Westlake, La., both earned standing ovations from the panel — as did three other finalists: 16-year-old student Jessica Sanchez of San Diego with Beyonce’s “Sweet Dreams”; 21-year-old pawn shop worker Phillip Phillips of Leesburg, Ga., with Jonny Lang’s “Still Rainin”’; and 17-year-old student Deandre Brackensick of San Jose, Calif., with Eric Benet’s “Sometimes I Cry.”

“That’s what your voice was made to do,” Steven Tyler beamed to Brackensick.

Heejun Han, the goofy 22-year-old nonprofit organizer from New York, found his way back into the judges’ good graces after last week’s silliness with a serious take on Leon Russell’s “A Song for You.” Tyler, the most critical of Han’s wacky antics, said he made the song “come alive in such a way that no one else can.”

“You don’t make it this far by mistake,” said Lopez.

This week’s performances kicked off with consistency from a pair of front-runners: 20-year-old rocker Colton Dixon, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., with an emotional version of Lifehouse’s “Everything,” which he called his favorite worship song, and spunky 18-year-old country rocker Skylar Laine of Brandon, Miss., with Miranda Lambert’s “Gunpowder and Lead.”

“You are a powerhouse singer,” Jackson informed Laine.

Jackson and Tyler weren’t as fired up about the song choice from 18-year-old singer Hollie Cavanaugh of McKinney, Texas. Cavanaugh tackled former “Idol” champion Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” to mixed results. Jackson cited pitch problems, and Tyler claimed that it didn’t show off her vocal range.

“I wish you sang a different song,” said the Aerosmith frontman. “It was just OK for me.”